Problems that Might Trip Up Your New Uber Driver Career

Uber driving has some perks. You might also become a Lyft driver. Some drive and have both company logos on their cars and both apps on their phones.

You can work as an Uber driver and use it as a side hustle. You may work twenty hours per week driving people around in your vehicle, or perhaps you’ll do full-time driving work for the company. The flexible schedule makes this a popular choice with many individuals in 2023.

You must go through the application process to get Uber’s approval. If they reject you, you can’t join the company. Certain things might trip you up if you want Uber’s approval. Let’s talk about some of the issues you might encounter right now.

Your Criminal Record

Uber typically reviews new driver applications 1-5 days. During that time, you can sit patiently and wait. You should hear back from them, but if you have a troubling criminal record, they may reject your application.

If you have a couple of minor criminal offenses, that might not prohibit you. For instance, if the police caught you with a joint at sixteen, that probably won’t hold up your new career.

If you tell Uber that you killed someone, though, and served a thirty-year sentence, they might not want you driving with their sign in your car’s window. Remember that they hire people using their discretion.

If they feel like, based on perceived character flaws, you should not represent them; you might not have much chance.

Your Driver’s License

You probably already know you need a valid license to drive a car in any US state. You also need a valid one if Uber driving sounds like a good career choice.

You must show you have a valid license in your state, and you must have it updated. If you have a license suspension, you can’t move forward till you clear that up.

Your Driving Record

You may have a spotless record for the most part, but you have some serious driving violations that come up when Uber starts looking into your background. If you crashed your car once, maybe the other driver did something wrong. If you’ve had several wrecks, Uber may question your driving skills.

Maybe you have citations from when you sped through a red light, didn’t slow down in a school zone, or didn’t signal before changing lanes. Those can land you in court, but they’ll also mean Uber won’t further consider your application in most instances.

If you have multiple accidents in three years, that will prohibit Uber driving. If you drove with a suspended license within three years, and the police caught you, that will stop Uber from hiring you.

If the police catch you driving over the legal alcohol limit within seven years, they will reject your application. They’ll feel you’re a risk.

Your Car’s Age and Condition

You must also have a relatively new car. If you have one less than seven years old without many dings, dents, and scratches, you have a decent chance. If you have an ancient rust bucket that barely runs, Uber likely won’t give you the okay.

You must prove your car’s condition. If you conceal it and try picking someone up in a vehicle that doesn’t meet Uber’s standards, you’ll get customer complaints, and they won’t let you drive for them anymore.

You must also keep the car clean. If you have fast food wrappers all over the vehicle, or if it has a pervasive marijuana odor, your customers will grumble, and Uber will yank your driving privileges.

After You Get Uber’s Approval, You Must Retain It

You should also realize that if you get Uber’s approval and start driving customers around, you can only keep doing that if you stay in the company’s good graces. If you follow all their rules, you should do fine. If you remain polite when a customer acts out, that is helpful. You’ll get problematic riders from time to time.

Your Uber permission won’t stick around long if you can’t control your temper. You’re now in the customer service industry, and some people skills accompany that.

Drivers who get that Uber sticker on their windows represent the company. You’re your own boss, and you have some freedom, but you still must follow certain rules.

Uber driving might make sense for you, but you’re in their world when you download the app, and you must represent them properly.